Furnace-pot-filling apparatus.



J. W. CRUIKSHANK.

FURNACE POT FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED .\AN.13.19|7.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR.

PV/T/VESSES" J. W. CRUIKSHANK. FURNACE POT FILLING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 2,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 APPLICATION FILED JAN-13.1917- H mm mm. ew 8N wdm MGM . 1N VEN TOR.

WITNESSES 7 J. W. CRUIKSHANK. FURNACE POT FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLEDiAN. I3, 1911. 1,261,714. Patented Apr. 2,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNES ES kg INVENTOR.

EJNTTED gTATE PATENT @FFTQE.

JAMES W. CRUIKSHANK, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO J. W. CRUIK- SHANK ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE-POT-FILLING APPARATUS.

Application filed. January 13, 1917.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Janus WV. CRUIK- srrANK, citizen of the United States, resident of Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements for Furnace-Pot-Filling Ap 'mratns of which the following is a specification, the accompanying drawings forming part thereof.

This invention has for its object an improved method of filling pots in a glass melting furnace with the ingredients for making glass commonly known as batch. The apparatus and method is more especially suitable for factories that are already equipped and forms a convenient method of supplying the batch to the furnaces, utilizing the present equipment with the advantage of saving in labor.

Referring to the drawings Figure I is a plan view of a furnace and furnaces.

Fig. II is a part cross sectional elevation of the furnace hall on a larger scale to Fig. I.

Fig. 111 is a sectional plan view of a part of a furnace on lines B B B Fig. 11.

Fig. IV is a plan view of the filling machine.

Fig. V is a partial detail sectional elevation on line C C, Fig. IV of the filling machine bridge. partly diagrammatic.

Fig. VI shows the electric controllers with their operating mechanism in plan.

Fig. VII is a detail.

Referring to the drawings the structural frame of the furnace building is indicated by the numeral 1, having crane runways designated by the numerals 2 on which is mounted a traveling crane 3, having a trolley i supporting the usual apparatus 5' for removing pets from the furnace 6. The furnaces 6 contain the'pots 7 having openings 8 provided with doors or tuilles 9. Buck-staves 10 are connected together by tie rods 11 supporting cross beams 12 to support hall the sheaves 13 and mechanism for raising the tuilles. Rails 14 are mounted on the cross beams 12 along the front edge of the furnace and continuing from one furnace to another, as shown in Fig. I.

Runways 15 consisting of channels or suitable beams are attached by brackets 16 to the columns of the building 1, at a suitable height to conform with the elevation of rail 14: on the furnace. A. traveling bridge 17 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 142,300.

supported by double flanged wheels 18 and 19 on the rail 14. and a roller 20 on the beam 15. The roller 20 is mounted on the shaft 20.1 supported in bearings 20.2 and 20.3 with a collar 20.4. One of the wheels 18 mounted on its axle 21 supported at its outer end by bearing 22 is driven through aworm gearing 23 actuated by an electric motor 2%. The other wheel 19 is mounted on axle 25 carried by bearings 26 and 27. The axle 21 may be connected, if found necessary, to the axle 25 by bevel gear drive or chain wheels.

At the furnace end of the bridge 17 the Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

end of a trolley track 28 is pivotally mounted on the hanger 29, the other end is attached to the rope 30 connecting to the sheave wheel 31 on the axle of a worm wheel 32 which is actuated through a worm by the motor 33 provided with an electric solenoid brake 33.1. A trolley 34 runs in the trolley track 28. A ladle bar 35 swivelly mounted is carried intermediate of its ends from trolley 3 1 by a rod 36 mounted on the bearing 87 with collars 38 at each side of it. At one end of the ladle bar 35 there is the ladle 39 and at the other end a handle and counterweight 410.

A wagon filled with the batch material is shown and designated by the numeral 11.

The electric current for operating the motors is taken from line wires by sliding collecting pieces 42 and 43 which are attached to an insulated member dd mounted on the bridge. A controller 45 having depending cord connections 46 and it? controls motor 241- which causes the bridge to travel. A cord 4-8 depends from a bell crank lever $9 with the other end connecting to a lever 50 mounted on a shaft 51 connected to the arm of an armature control switch 52. On this shaft 51 anarm 53 is mounted centrally above the trolley track 28, and to the trolley track is pivotally-attached a vertical rod 54- provided with an adjustable collar 55.

A shaft 56 actuates the arm of a controller 57 and has mounted on it a lever 58 attached to which is a link 58.1 on the other end of which is pivotally mounted a loose collar 58.2 embracing rod 59 which has an adjustable collar 60. Lever 61 is mounted on shaft 56 and is provided with a pivoted end 62 held in position by the spring 63 attached to the upper part of the lever. The trolley 34 is provided with a pin 6 1 arranged to engage with the end 62 of the lever 61.

The wiring connections between the armature controllers 52and 57 to the motor 33 are shown in diagrammatic form, it being assumed that the fields of the motor are energized by being connected permanently across the line. The line wires are designated 1y L and L The vire terminals of the motor armature are designated by the lcttersAandE. The terminals on the controllers for connection to the line wires are designated by the letters() and D and the terminals for connection to the motor armatures E and F. Both the controllers 52 and 5'? are of the same constructionv so that electric connection is made from D to E through suitable resistance and from F to C for the return wire from the motor arn'iature terminal. The connections to C and D are respectively reversed to the line wires L and if so that each of the controllers will give a reverse motion to the other to the motor.

The operation is as follows. The batch is filled into the usual form of batch wagon ll which is placed in a convenient position for filling the ladle 39 with he material. This ladle is placed in a position shown by dotted lines and a man shovels the batch from the wagon into the ladle. When the ladle is full an operator pulls the cord L8 attached to the lever all) connected to the lever mounted on the shaft 51 which when rotated in the direction of the pull operates the controller which energizes the motor and rotates the wheel 31 through the worm gearing and causes the track 28 to rise carrying with it the ladle. The opera tor meanwhile holds the handle ill of the ladle bar. The trolley track rises until the collar on tie rod engages with the lever This rotates the shaft 51 and shuts oil the electric current from the motor and causes the track 28 to stop in the position shown. 'lheinertiaof the motor armature is stopped b the e ctric brake 33.1, the

ladle boil p nnately in a horizon tal p ltlOi'l .h the track slightly inclined toward the furnace so as to makc'it easier for the oper tor. The collar 55 is adjustable on the rod 5% so that the exact final position of the tro ley track can be determined. 7

The operator then moves forward and pushes it into the furnaceswinging it about the center of the bar 37 bringing the ladle over one of the pots 7. He then gives the ladle bar a motion of rotation so that the material in the ladle is dumped into the pot. The ladle is then withdrawn from the furnace and returns with the ladle bar horizontal until the pin 6t engages with the lever 61 which operates the controller 57 and starts the motor 33, so that the rope 30 around the sheave 31 will be unwound so that the end'of the trolleytrack 28 will descend.

In its descent the collar on the rod 59 ill engage with the lever 58 rotating the shaft 56 which operates the controller 57 so that the electric current is shut off and the trolley track 28 will stop in the inclined position shown by the dotted line. The cOllar (30 is adjustable by a set screw on the rod 59 so that the exact final position of the trolley track can be obtained. The operation of filling the ladle and pushing it into the furnace is then repeated as before. When the ladle is pushed forward and the trolley 3 passes the-lever 61 the pin of the trolley will. engage the hinged end of this lever and push it up 'ardly without moving the controller arm.

When a pair of pots are filled through one opening of the furnace as shown the operator starts the cranebridge by pulling one of the cords to or 47 attached to'the controller so which energizes the motor 2st and rotates the wheel 18 through the worm gear reduction 23, so that the bridge will travel to the required new position.

The wheels of the bridge are mounted at the furnace end on the rail 14. This rail can be placed on the existing construction of the furnaces as they are usually built. At the other end the bridge is carried on roller 20 of considerable width so as to allow of longitudinal motion of the bridge withi'eference to the columns and side wall of the building. This is necessary due to the tendency of the furnace to get out of alinement due to their expansion thus changing the relative distance between rail 14.. and beam '15 attached to the building columns.

The electric power is collected from feed wires which may be stretched from one end of the building to the other supported at intermediate points on wood brackets from which the con act pieces 42 and 43 will raise them.

There is similar machine used on the other side of the furnace to fill the pots set in the opposite arches. The traveling crane 3 is shown carrying the usual arrangement of pot tongs bale 5 for removing the pots from the furnace. It will be readily seen that it must be possible to move the traveling crane over the filling machine sothat either apparatus may be used at any other furnace in the building. One advantage of my machine is that this can be done and that electric power can be supplied to it without interfering with traveling crane or other arrangement of the furnace hall. I could mount the entire filling-machine on the top of the furnace with the bridge .extendible on both sides of it but the means for obtaining electric power through the feed wires to the bridge would then be less practical.

My method and machine ovcrcome many disadvantages.of filling machines heretofore devised, being quick and practical in its acneon/14 tion, economical of operation, using the existing factory equipment and having a construction that can be built at a comparatively low cost.

The employment of the batch the form shown as used at present is very advantageous for old factories. Any apparatus having an overhead bin for filling the ladle is a much more elaborate and expensive one and while various apparatus have been designed in which the batch is elevated into a bin to feed the ladle through a gate they are more or less defective. If the bin is filled by dumping from wagons with drop bottom doors the operation is very dusty; it on the other hand removable bins are filled in the batch house and taken to the filling machine, an entire rearrangement for miX- ing the material in the batch house is necessary, involving considerable expense in changing the building structure and the mixing machinery. V

The method of operation of filling the ladle from the wagon with a shovel makes little more work and no additional expense over other machines for in any case one man is required to operate the ladle and another the gate of the bin containing the batch material.

One object of my apparatus is to bring the ladle in a quick and eliioient manner into a convenient position to receive the batch from the wagon. It will be seen that it the support of the ladle bar cannot be lowered, the longitudinal axis of the ladle when it is placed on the floor by raising the handle of the ladle bar will be in a more inclined position than is advantageous for completely filling it. In order to overcome this difficulty in other devices a pedestal is used on the door on which the ladle is set while be ing filled or the ladle bar is limited in its movement of inclination. This places it in a less advantageous position for the man shoveling the material into it. The low position shown in the accompanying drawings is a very advantageous one for the laborer. lhe movements of raising and lowering being accomplished without additional effort to the operator, and without detracting from the elliciency and speed of the operation of the apparatus.

Many changes and modifications may be made in the form and arrangement for example, magnet operated type controllers may be used, or the form of trolley track changed without departing from the scope of my invention.

I claim 1. In combination with a furnace extending upwardly from a substantially horizontal ground floor and containing melting pots extending to a plane materially above such ground floor level, and provided with charging openings above the pots; a movable wagons of carriage supported on rails above the furnace, a trolley track having its inner end pivotally supported from said carriage adjacent the furnace, a supporting member for the track connected to a raising and lowering element, trolley on said track adapted to move longitudinally thereon in either direction by gravitation, a ladle support, a charging ladle swivelly mounted in said support, and a supporting connection be tween the ladle support and trolley so proportioned as to length with relation to the vertical distance between the ground floor level and the charging openings and with relation to the range of vertical movement of the trolley track as to maintain the charging ladle in convenient inclined position for filling and manipulation when, its batchholding terminal is resting on the ground floor during the lowered period of the trolley track, and to maintain it in substantially horizontal position for manipulation and rotatable discharge into the pot during the raised period of the trolley track, substantially as set forth.

2. A furnace pot filling apparatus comprising a movable carriage supported on rails above the furnace, a track having its one end pivotally supported from said carriage, a flexible supporting member having its one end secured to said track and its other end secured to a revolubly mounted drum, a motor for 'olving said drum to raise or lower said track above or below a horizontal plane, means for putting said last-named means in motion, a current sup ply circuit, a controller therefor adapted to effect lifting movement of the motor and provided with a contact arm and a lever arm, means'for actuating said lever arm in one direction, means connected with the track for actuating said lever arm in the opposite direction, a trolley on said track adapted to move longitudinally in either di' rection on said track by gravitation, a supporting member pivoted to said trolley, a ladle swivelly mounted on said supporting member, a controller adapted to reverse the drum motor to effect lowering of the track provided with a contact arm and a lever arm, and an abutment on the trolley adapted to actuate said lever on reverse movement of the trolley.

3. A furnace pot filling apparatus comprising a movable carriage supported on rails above the furnace, a track having its one end pivotally supported from said carriage, a flexible supporting member having its one end secured to said track and its other end secured to a revolubly mounted drum, a motor for revolving said drum to raise of lower said track above or below a horizontal plane, means for putting said last-named means in motion, a current supply circuit, a controller therefor adapted to effect lifting movement of the motor and provided with a contact arm and a lever arm, means for actuating said lever arm in one direction, means connected with the track for actuating said lever arm in the opposite direction, a trolley on said track adapted to move longitudinally in either direction on said track by gravitation, a supporting member pivoted to said trolley, a ladle swivelly mounted on said supporting member, a controller adapted to reverse the drum motor to effect lowering of the track provided with a contact arm and a lever arm having a sliding terminal, a rod connected with the track engaging said terminal and having an abutment therefor where by to stop the lowering action of the motor, said lever arm also having a pivoted terminal adapted to be effectively engaged by an abutment on the trolley in one direction and ineffectively engaged thereby in the opposite direction, and an abutment on the trolley for making such engagement.

il. In a pot filling apparatus, in combination with a furnace and a supporting tracl way rum'iing in front of and above the furnace, a removable carriage mounted on said trackway, a depending trackway pivotally supported from said carriage adjacent the furnace, a reversible motor on the carriage having a drum and a cable engaging said drum and the trackway for raising or lowering the latter, a lifting controller and a lowering controller on the carriage, lever control means having a pull cord within reach of an operator for actuating the lifting controller contact mechanism in one direction, an abutment connected with the pivoted trackway for actuating it in the opposite direction, lever control means having a. loose connection with the pivoted trackway for actuating the lowering controller, a trolley on the trackway having an abutment adapted to engage and actuate said lever control means, and a ladle supporting member depending from the trolley.

5. In a pot filling apparatus, in combination with a furnace and a supporting trackway running in front of and above the fur nace, a removable carriage mounted on said trackway, a depending trackway pivotally supported from said carriage adjacent the furnace, a reversible motor on the carriage having a drum and a cable engaging said drum and the trackway for raising or lowering the latter, a lifting controller and a lowering controller on the carriage, lever mechanism for making and breaking con tact of each controller, means connected with the pivoted trackway for actuating each of said mechanisms upon upward movement and downward movement thereof respectively, a ladle supporting trolley on the trackway, and an abutment carried by said trolley adapted to actuate the contact mechanism of the lowering controller upon backward movement.

6. In a pot filling apparatus, in combina tion with a furnace and a supporting trackway running in front of and above the furnace, a removable carriage mounted on said trackway, a depending trackway pivotally supported from said carriage adjacent the furnace, a reversible motor on the carriage having a drum and a cable engaging said drum and the trackway for raising or lower ing the latter, a lifting controller and a lowering controller on the carriage, lever mechanism for making and breaking contact of each controller, means connected with the pivoted trackway for actuating each of said mechanisms upon upward movement and downward movement thereof respectively, a ladle supporting trolley on the trackway, and an abutment carried by said trolley adapted to actuate the contact mechanism of the lowering controller upon backward movement, said mechanism having a pivoted shouldered terminal'adapted to be swung inoperatively by the said abutment on forward travel of the trolley.

JAMES W. GRUIKSHANK.

Witnesses F. V. MoKrnLor, EDWARD J. OHL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fCommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

